


Blindsided

by KumoriYami



Category: Hakuouki
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Eventual Romance, F/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Multiple, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-15
Updated: 2019-01-15
Packaged: 2019-10-09 23:45:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17414837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KumoriYami/pseuds/KumoriYami
Summary: Modern AU.Yukimura Kodo, a relatively well-known scientist and doctor, was doing research on a secret project known only as 'Ochimizu' for the government when he suddenly disappears without a trace. Shortly after, a secret organization known as the Shinsengumi known only to a few in the country that is tasked with locating Kodo and dealing with his experiments, discovers that a mysterious individual known only referred to as the Snow Crane seems to be actively breaking into facilities and stealing the Ochimizu from all over the country.To add to their problems, Kodo's daughter, Yukimura Chizuru, the only other person who might be able to help them locate him, a seemingly average student aspiring to be a doctor is attacked when her home burns down, is placed under the Shinsengumi's custody, though some suspect she might know more about her father than she says and has secrets of her own...saichi





	1. Prologue: First Encounter

**Author's Note:**

> This idea of mine... I got it when I was thinking about G.I. Joe, Until Death Do Us Part and how I desperately wanted to try writing something with spies (which didn't happen at all) or some sort of espionage elements for Hakuoki since I wanted a modern AU. Honestly, I'm not sure where I'm going with this or if I'll continue beyond what I've started writing for now but I have a bunch of ideas for this story that I'm considering. Anyway, my intention is for this story is to have the Saito Hajime/Yukimura Chizuru pairing.
> 
> I've been obsessing a lot over Hakuoki lately so I hope this is okay since I'm a bit worried about characterizations since I've never written anything in this fandom before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of the words in this chapter have been borrowed from Hakuouki: Kyoto Winds
> 
> usual disclaimer: I don't own nothing aside from this story.

One month ago.

Tokyo. December.

A breath of hot air visibly escaped the lone figure standing tall in the night sky with golden eyes and white long white hair tied up into a high ponytail while they carefully secured everything necessary so that nothing would impede their escape under the snow and night sky before pulling out a pair goggles to use later. As they were wearing a head-guard tied behind their head with its long white tails fluttering in the wind, and a mask that covered their mouth and nose to hide most of their features, there was little doubt that this person was indeed suspicious. Their feet moved in a slow but purposeful manner, as if they were moving in the steps of a dance to leave some footprints in the snow, but their eyes squarely focused on the what was inside the open box in their hands.... though it was unlikely that anyone could tell how they were being gripped more than necessary.

"Freeze!" Upon hearing the shouting, heavy breathing and footsteps, the figure sent only a cursory glance to the direction of people heading towards them - security personnel judging from their matching clothes- before turning away to focus as they pulled a vial of red liquid from the container they were holding, as if those words were never heard, and as if they hadn't seen the weapons drawn in the moonlight. "Surrender what you stole, and I promise that we will not shoot!"

"Commander, those white winged sleeves and black outfit... golden eyes and white hair... that's the Snow Crane!" There are several murmurs among the security personnel who had come to the rooftop, and while none felt like approaching the slightly infamous but extremely low-profile individual who was reputed to be a thief-for-hire given the danger it would bring upon themselves given how close to the building's edge they were, some let out sighs of relief since this thief was known to not go out of their way to cause bodily harm when pursued since they seemed to be a person who did not cause fault in people simply doing their jobs.

Upon hearing the name, the masked individual closes the case and sets it down before pointing to the person who had remarked on their identity and bowed slightly, as if wanting to ensure that no other person would be blamed for their action despite how they were in the middle of stealing something.

Perhaps it's because the thief's reputation for avoiding conflict is more known amongst these people, do some of the security move forward, though they stop the moment the thief holds the vial of red liquid that was retrieved earlier. Unfortunately, no one looks like they know what it is other than extremely "important," given where it was removed from, but their attention is soon forced onto the small object as it's tossed almost carelessly towards them as opposed to the thief that jumps off the building.

Several people scramble and try to see where the thief falls to, while the other half scramble to catch the vial. To the astonishment of most, all that is seen is a figure that seems to be almost gliding through the snow on their white wings, illuminated only the moon's light that soon disappears into the night.

* * *

"So this is Tsuru-chan?" A sly smile was the face of a young man with green eyes as he seemed to materialize from behind her just as she was taking her goggles off, shortly after she begins walking in the forest nearby the clearing she landed in a short distance away, careful that her feet don't cause the snow to crunch beneath her. She hadn't noticed him... or those others until now. The fact that she hadn't heard any movement however meant that they were probably waiting for her or had predicted the path she was going to take... "What an impressively odd lady you must be to continuously be breaking into places that we're keeping an eye on..."

Her expression hardened for a moment and her golden eyes sweep the area, clearly stopping to look in two opposite directions, signalling she knew that there were others nearby. Usually she wouldn't have made such a mistake in moving in a direction with people with her senses, but she knew that her mind was more than shaken with what she had seen earlier that night, though it certainly would have helped if she had something to protect her ears next time from the wind... She would make a note of that for next time.

"Even curiouser is how you don't seem to be harmed from that stunt you just pulled off..." While her jaw clenches slightly, she doesn't allow herself any reaction beyond that doesn't want to consider what any emotion of hers might be interpreted as. As the person speaks, the other two men she sensed finally step out from where they were hiding, and seeing how they were all dressed in a similar fashion... her eyes twitched slightly. Were they from an organization? "No wonder why you only operate on days with such weather... you'd attract far more attention otherwise."

Although she's surrounded, none of them move closer from where they are, maintaining a relatively comfortable distance away though the way their hands were all resting on the hilts of the swords they were carrying as opposed to the gun holsters on them gave her the impression that they didn't want to attract extra attention, and were more than prepared to deal with her if the situation called for it, though she does acknowledge how strange it was to people to carry such weapons given how firearms had progressed though she knew how difficult it was to obtain them in Japan. That fact alone suggested some form of law enforcement but she didn't recognize anything about them.

Her gaze eventually settles on the only person who has spoken, and she tips her head slightly as if urging him to speak to which he just shrugs his shoulders to. "We want you to hand over what you stole."

She blinks for a moment at the demand and shakes her head as her fingers form the shape of a bottle before pointing back to the skyscraper she had come off of. "Do not play innocent. The vice-commander has studied your activities extensively. You always leave one item behind if you are directly confronted and it's not until later do they realize that more has been stolen." The person speaking comes now from behind her right shoulder, and is to the left of the first person. He has sapphire blue eyes, and while she noticed that he was only left-handed person among the people around her, he had already seized one of his blades' hilt and was in a position to draw. "It would be best if you cooperated. I doubt that this will end well for you if you decide to decide otherwise."

"We know you've taken something else from where you've just come from." The person who speaks this time is the one she assumes is the vice-commander with violet eyes and a serious expression on his face. His voice was cold and quiet, like a blade of ice, and as he drew his sword and pointed it towards her, she could see his eyes were fierce and hard.... She had no doubt that he was prepared to spring into action at a moment's notice. "One of our comrades on the inside informed us that you already stole something else."

Hearing such a revelation causes her to carefully scrutinize each of the individuals around her before visibly letting let out a deep breath emphasized with her body's movements before dramatically pointing towards various other buildings in the distance aside form the one she pointed out earlier before shrugging her shoulders since she did not have clear idea of what was being asked of her. Her actions appear to prompt the men to exchange surprised glances at each other since they didn't seem to know that she was extremely active that night.

Heedless of their reactions, her hand makes a sign for 'one' then shakes her head before rubbing her thumb, index and middle finger of her left hand, then making a sign for 'two' before just rubbing her fingers again without moving her head as if to trying to convey that she was willing to only give them one 'thing' without payment while anything else would cost them.

"One request from you is it?" The vice-commander's brow furrows as she nods, though not before she points to her own wrist as if to say that she can't be delayed for long. She can already sense the presence of someone else nearby... though she was more than certain that this person was one of these men's comrades.

"You wouldn't perhaps be willing to allow us to hire you would you?" Surprise flickers in her eyes for a moment before she vehemently shakes her head.

"Can't blame me for trying...." The vice-commander lets out a sigh though she can't tell if he's just acting or is genuinely sincere with his words. "Which probably means that asking who is the one who has hired you as the Snow Crane is out of the question as well..."

 _Ah._ He's gauging her reactions. She frowned since he technically wasn't making a request but ascertaining what was acceptable as a request. A slightly unfair way to go about extracting information, but she's not one to cause a scene since she doubted that these people wanted extra attention given their equipment.... though it was worth it if it meant avoiding a conflict.

"...As is trying to figure out your source for tracking down the Ochimizu...unless you have your own source of information." She paused at that. Ochimizu? She had no idea what that was... while it was true that she had her own method for determining her targets' locations that she she was unwilling to share, though it seemed that they were connected to whatever he was speaking of. She doesn't trying hiding her confusion upon hearing the unfamiliar word however, going as far as to tilt her head since she would not speak. Their eyes are analyzing her every action and reaction, but she has nothing to hide in regards to this subject. "I see. Do you happen to have any more of the red liquid that you returned at your last...heist?" He pauses and his next are only a soft whisper. "We cannot allow something so dangerous to fall into the hands of the public."

Crossing her arms for a moment, she adopted a pose to suggest pondering, hoping her eyes would look the way she wanted. She doesn't know if she's meant to have heard the last comment or if he had said such a thing to ease his conscience though it was also true that she hadn't needed to strain her ears to hear it, so she settles on giving them four of those vials, of what she supposes is what they refer to as Ochimizu - all ones she had picked up on her previous excursions and not from tonight, knowing full well that it's more than what was probably expected, but there was a risk in carrying something that she herself believed as dangerous so this wasn't a bad opportunity to rid herself of some of them. More importantly, she did not have the impression that the people around her had any sinister and ulterior motivations with such a request.... though she unfortunately knew that whomever their comrades, colleagues and superiors were... they might not share the same sentiments. If anything, this action of hers might build her some goodwill since she had encountered this Ochimizu substance several times when looking for her targets, and she did not believe that this investment was a bad idea since the person with green eyes said that she had inadvertently evaded them multiple times.

"Are these... all the same?" The left-handed swordsman's expression visibly darkens and sounds uncertain as he watches her pulling them out from various hidden compartments in her outfit before setting down the vials by her feet, and she she shakes one hand as if to say that they are somewhat different from the other in her opinion, though she does not really care if her message is conveyed correctly since she's not entirely sure, and shrugs her shoulders once again. Her intuition obligated her to carry them with her since it had told her that these were dangerous and could not be simply thrown away, but there was a limit to what she carried since she needed space for other things which took priority over all else.

When she's finished, her gaze turns behind her, pointing with her thumb over her shoulder towards an part of her perimeter where no one is directly in her way before tapping her wrist once again.

The person with green eyes who spoke up first earlier lets out a wry sounding laugh at her actions. "I really think that it's gonna come back to bite us in the ass if we let this kid go." His words sounded a bit regretful but the tone of his voice suggested that he was resigned in letting her go without incident.The way he was speaking also suggested that they shouldn't cause unnecessary trouble.

"Vice-commander... If we remain here, we are likely to be seen." The unexpected comment comes from the person behind her shoulder, and she can't help but notice that he's stepped away slightly from where he was earlier to put a larger amount of space between him and his commanding officer who was still in the direction of her left shoulder. There was a quiet urgency in his voice that suggested that he was sharing the same opinion as his comrade.

The vice-commander only nods to his men's words though he looks as if he's contemplating something else. "Do you... truly not know what this is?" She nodded honestly, tapping her head then the area by her her heart before grimacing with her hands clawing at her chest to somehow express fear and discomfort. That liquid... while it was certainly something she looked for when carrying out her activities and took if she saw it, she did not rely on it as an indicator in any way. "I see. Well then, thank you for your cooperation. I will see to it that these are properly taken care of." Having spoken, the vice-commander sheathes his blade and bows his head slightly before turning away, as she herself does the same.

Focusing all her strength into her legs, she can't afford to worry about leaving tracks in her general area now since it will cause her to use more stamina that she can't afford... especially since she's been delayed too long and needs to return. She however does spare a moment's to glance where the observer she sensed earlier was still waiting at before she rushes off into the night like her life depended on it.

She had decided early on that she wouldn't take any action that would risk exposing herself to unnecessary danger in pursuing her goal, but she couldn't shake the chill that went down her spine when thinking of those people and the Ochimizu. Whatever they were involved in must have been particularly gruesome given how much her body had involuntarily shivered... and she knew how the fear lingering at the back of her mind would only continue to grow if she continued what she was doing given how many times she had encountered it... To run away from it all would be the logical decision, but if she did that... the alternative of abandoning her activities now terrified her in a different way altogether... and it would go against everything she needed to be... and who she was.

  
A bitter smile surfaced onto her face as she looked up the moon amid the falling snow. "Father... I don't have a choice but to go forward do I?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tsuru is japanese for 'crane'


	2. Yesterday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of the words in this chapter have also been borrowed from Hakuouki: Kyoto Winds

Normal.

That's how everyone who knew of her thought of her. She was a normal student. Average grades. She had normal friends. Normal hobbies. Normal dreams and aspirations for her future and studies. A normal father who was there for her though she saw him less than she'd like since his work as a doctor kept him away at times... though it had been a long time since she had last seem him.

Still, one could say that she took great care to appear as normal as humanly possible to hide how distraught she was...

So why...?

There were no such answers for her as all that is reflected in her eyes is the inferno in front of her upon reaching her her home after returning late from the library closest to her school. In the darkness of night, she had to admit part of the way the fire danced was beautiful when contrasted to the snow falling down in the night sky despite the destruction it was causing. Unfortunately it's that same realization that pushes away her shock as she runs into the building she called home lit ablaze.

"What are you doing?! It's dangerous!" While she does hear someone yell at her as she charges in, a neighbour she thinks though she doesn't recognize the voice, she doesn't process what is yelled as she does her best to move quickly into the house and up the set of stairs then dashes towards her father's room to remove a locked briefcase from his closet. In it was a collection of important of documentation and files, letters, her passport, banking information, a bunch of photos of Chizuru from when she was younger... and other keepsake and mementos that she needed to keep no matter what happened.... Things that she were to take if there ever was an emergency.

Shoving the briefcase into her schoolbag and securing it the best she can after dumping out anything unnecessary, Chizuru pulled her sleeve in front of her mouth and it was clear the caution and speed were required as she tried manoeuvring through her burning home, though not out of fear for her own safety. If she was burned... The consequences of such an injury are more than enough motivation for her to drop to her knees to reduce the likelihood of examinations in the future, and while the smoke was making it hard to see, there's only one more item she needed to retrieve.

Although her mind tells her that there's no reason why it wouldn't be there, part of her worries that her kodachi - the one she received from her mother whom she could no longer recall, would not be sitting where she had left it this morning, same as all the other mornings before that as she was filled with a sense of foreboding.... and she always trusted her instincts. Rationally however, she knew it was strange to worry about it since there was no way an inanimate object could just suddenly get up and move, but as was something her mother had left for her as it had been in the Yukimura family for generations, there was no way she could discount anything she felt in relation to something so precious...

When Chizuru finally has the blade in her arms, her sense of foreboding unfortunately had not disappeared. It's only when she enters the main hallway of her home that leads to the front door which she notes seems to have closed even though it had been left open from when she rushed in, does she notice that there's someone else in the house with her. The intruder, likely male judging from their build, was wearing a what clothes she though she had seen a month ago, though this time she could clearly see some blue embroidery on it, had white hair and wearing an Oni mask with pale features and what she took to be red eyes though Chizuru wasn't sure if that was just the fire playing tricks on her mind since it was getting much harder for her to breathe and see... She had seen them plenty of those masks during festivals before and while she had never once thought they were scary, she was certain that this individual was the cause of her unease.

Whomever this person was... she could feel a menacing aura radiating from him, and judging from how he was now standing in her way from wherever he had appeared from, there was no question that he determined to stand in her way. Her brow furrowed for a moment as she noticed that this person's bandaged hands were clearly clawed which wasn't normal...

"Ehehehehe!" A weak smile surfaced onto her face as she felt her body go cold hearing such twisted-sounding laughter, and she knew that she probably looked too calm... alternatively, she might resemble someone trying not to panic though part of her honestly wondered if someone was sending her a message given what was covering the man's features. By now, the fire department had likely been called by someone in the neighbourhood so it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to take her chances and run as if her life depended on it to get pass whomever the intruder was. Regardless what they did however, she would take no action that might be perceived as extraordinary.

There's not a lot of time for her to react when the figure charges at her with its claws, and she does her best to barely dodge the blow. Chizuru had never been great with any sort of close quarters confrontation but she knows better than most how to avoid being hurt and dodging blows.

"Blood..." Her eyes narrow for the briefest of moments as she hears the words from the attacker as she crashes against the floor to avoid the strike, and while she's a bit closer to the door, there's only a feeling of bitter resignation in her mind when she acknowledges that there was no way for her to get by without a physical cost, one that she's determined to undergo since the alternative was passing out to die of suffocation or being burned alive if she didn't escape... assuming that her body would behave that way. Of course, it didn't help that this person attacking her gave no indication of getting out of her way despite how her home was slowly coming down around them...

Had he come purposely seek her out because of her blood? Grinding her teeth as she shoots to her feet as she pushes away all unpleasant thoughts about the reason for why it's her being attacked, she knows it's now or never if she wants to get away as she pushes her assailant with enough strength so that they'd just be knocked off balance and makes a run for the door, though she's not quick enough to avoid being clawed in the face when she runs On reflex, her free hand moves to cover her left cheek as she lets out a sigh of relief seeing how the hand that struck her drew no blood.  
  
Thankful for the small mercy as she hastily runs outside, her mind races in a thousand directions seeing a pair of fire trucks and no one in the area aside from two people and a perimeter of caution tape already set up. She had had heard no indication of their arrival which is more than enough to let Chizuru know that something is very wrong given how far she lived on the outskirts of the city and knew just how close the nearest fire station was.... and seeing the pair silently unsheathe swords that flicker of steel in the fire light's only added to her agitation. Were those...?

"Ahahahaha!" Her thoughts unfortunately are disrupted as when she hears blood-curling cackling from the man behind her, and she can't help but stop to look its way. She felt nothing from whatever this person had become but madness... as if something had taken its humanity away and replaced it with only the the desire for violence leaving its mind broken...

She's been in dangerous situations before, probably more so than the one she was in right now, but Chizuru felt something inside her break as a single word came to mind to describe this inhuman creature...

A _"demon."_

She was certain her face was pale when such a revelation strikes her heart where it hurts most, and while her legs don't collapse, Chizuru finds that all her strength leaves her, and it's only because she has trained her body well enough to properly respond to her own injuries does her hand not leave her face. Was someone trying to tell her what she was doing was futile? Or that she couldn't escape fate?

Watching her home burn in front of her... a small part of her wondered if this what it was like to go mad as she felt tears and laughter briefly escape from her lips. She knew that she had no choice but to continue down her path, and this footnote couldn't be the obstacle that led her astray. No matter how she denied it... she knew that she wasn't normal... and couldn't be. Yukimura Chizuru simply did not have the luxury of having a normal life because of who she was...

Perhaps after this incident, she would finally be able to embrace what responsibilities that entailed...

Her eyes close as she sees the creature raise its arms again, its posture indicating that it would attack with its right then left arm... attacks she would be able to avoid if she entrusted herself to her senses.

Just as she's about to move, her body stops again when the horrible sound of what she assumes is flesh and bone being cut enters her ears, and she can't help but feel surprised as blood splatter lands onto her face. Those two from before...

"Ara... now where did you come from?" Dread crept into her mind as opened her eyes and could now see clearly. The thing that attacked her... his outfit looked exactly like the two who were now standing in front of her. Similarly to the last time, they were in what she figures was their formation, though the pair's swords were now bloody.

The person on the right had apparently severed the creature's left arm while the other had slashed at its face, leaving a large gash across its face while revealing a gleefully twisted expression after its mask was flung off. Although she doesn't look away now, she could feel bile begin to rise in her throat as she watched the fire glinting off the metal.

"Blood! Blood! Blood!" The creature's expression seemed to indicate that it was oblivious to how it lost a limb, or how its its face was wounded...?! Her eyes widened in shock as she could visibly see the ugly gash healing as it looked as if it desperately trying to drink its own blood that was dripping down its face, and its eerie red eyes was looking where its arm had landed hungrily.

"...If they have this sort of reaction to blood, then they don't seem like they'll be very practical." The left-handed swordsman's comment is barely audible, and Chizuru knows she's heard something that isn't meant for her as she was currently straining all her senses the best she could while she watches the pair move their swords again. Was this creature supposed to be an experiment or prototype of some sort? Her blood runs cold when she considers the possibility and its implications...

It would be wrong to say that wasn't affected from witnessing death as she had seen corpses and people die in front of her as a doctor's daughter, but right now... this was different. She couldn't even find it within herself to muster any sort of emotional response as she watched whatever that thing was get cut down due to how sick she felt... 

Seeing the two turn around as they flick the blood of their swords before sheathing them, part of her earnestly wants nothing more than to run - to throw caution behind her, but when she turns to glance behind her, her heart sinks. That man from earlier....

"Vice-commander...." The left-handed swordsman moves like a shadow, and her body stills watching him move towards the vice-commander watching by the firetrucks to whisper something into his ear that she can't hear as she forces herself to relax her body from its agitated state. His steps were muted by the sound of the fire cackling behind them, and for a moment, he looked at the creature that he had killed once with such impassiveness that suggested he had forgotten the whole ordeal before his gaze turned to rest squarely on her. The way he was watching her... greatly resembled the way that she herself analyzed people to discern if they were hiding something from her... though this man's eyes made her feel as if he was trying to pry her own secrets out with that action alone, as if she wasn't everything that she appeared to be...

She swallowed hard as she met the man's gaze with one of her own, adopting a bewildered mask. Chizuru had never been particularly good at hiding her mental state so rather than trying to hide that she was feeling, she often chose to just focus on showing one aspect of emotion that would fit the situation when it was necessary to use some form of disguise. It was unfortunate but she had a terrible poker face and had always been expressive.

The vice-commander remains, in what she assumes is deep in thought, when the other swordsman puts his hand on her shoulder from behind her. His grip was too tight to be friendly, and it was obvious that he was holding her so that she didn't get any ideas. "If only we had just let that thing kill the kid, we would have been saved from all this trouble..." His tone was light but it confirmed her fears. Whatever they were involved in... was much darker than anything she had experienced... "Well, whatever. That's the vice-commander's problem."

The man lets out a melodramatic sigh as he pushes her slightly forward to move. "C'mon we need to get away from the fire." She nods, though her steps are shaky when she moves. There was no question that her fate was in the hands of these strange men though the presence of this person by her alone was enough to discourage her from trying anything since she could clearly understand his unspoken message as he fiddled with the swords on his hip. _Run and I will kill you._

They move to stand by the other firetruck, and Chizuru distracts herself by watching the embers consume her family dwelling. The only comfort she had was that her home was nearing its end of life and it would have been torn down in a few years time, though she worried about her father and what he'd think....and wherever he was, she didn't want him to be worrying about her....

Tightening her grip on her kodachi with her free hand as if to strengthen her resolve, she let out a long sigh. Regardless of what happened, she still had responsibilities and obligations that she could not put on hold simply because of her being forcibly drawn into this dark scheme.... Not to mention, she had faith that she could face whatever came her way due to how she couldn't deny having already seen some pretty terrible things in the life she had still yet to live, though watching someone get murdered in front of her with their blood landing on her was a first.

After what feels like a few minutes of her own quiet contemplation, she sees the vice-commander and the left-handed swordsman out of the corner of her eyes walking over. His expression resembled how doctors looked when delivering bad news, so she might as well take the initiative to speak and prepare for the worst.

"Are you going to kill me for seeing something that I shouldn't have?" Hearing her words, the vice-commander looked visibly shaken for a moment as if he hadn't anticipated her words before his expression grimaced, while other only widened his eyes before returning to his normal hard-to-read impassive expression.

"What are you going to say to that vice-commander? Another person to cut down in the streets?" The person still maintaining a vice grip on her shoulder was the only one to smile wryly at her words and he gave a derisive bark of laughter. "The kid did see well, _everything_."

"Do what you will." Although she said such a thing with as much conviction as she could, Chizuru trusted that she at least would not be slaughtered where she stood since she understood how she had seen something they wanted to keep hidden, and staying where they were only risked drawing out more unwitting witnesses. However, it did not mean that they would just silence her elsewhere... and if it truly came to that... she would naturally use every ability in her arsenal to escape, consequences be damned.

"....A kid like you shouldn't be saying such things." The vice-commander sighed as he pressed his fingers to his temple, clearly troubled, but even with what he said, she did not doubt that they had prepared to kill her if the situation called for it. Such was the impression she had of these men. "Sorry, but I'm going to have to ask you to come with me."

The pressure leaves her shoulder upon hearing such a 'request,' and Chizuru nods, following the vice-commander as directed. They don't go too far though, and they stop at a black car that she hadn't seen earlier since it was obstructed by the firetrucks. Seeing it, her eyes twitch slightly since she does notice that it was an unmarked vehicle and she couldn't see any license plates. He opens a door to the passenger compartment of the vehicle, and there's no question as to what is being asked of her, and obediently, she gets in, trying not to appear more nervous than she actually was when considering what would become of her.

"I'll be right back." Nodding again as the vice-commander locks the door behind her once she's somewhat seated in the car, her focus turns to her new environment. A small but bitter smile surfaced onto her face as she noted how she couldn't see the front of the vehicle and couldn't see through the windows either... worse was how she couldn't hear anything at all from outside though she had her own speculations since the vehicle was apparently soundproofed. While part of her was honestly curious to know that if wondered if she concentrated hard enough that she'd be able to get a better idea of what was happening outside, Chizuru was too mentally exhausted from exerting herself and just thinking about what happened made her feel sick.

Even now... she felt as if she was being observed, though she had no physical proof to confirm such an instinct. Knowing that, she let out a sigh as she sat uncomfortably, wrapping her arm around her kodachi as if look as if she was too worried to release her hold on in it in order to to have an excuse to not remove her bag or move her left arm. Such actions certainly weren't well thought out, but it was all she could do in her current state.... though it was likely that they'd probably take her actions as from someone in a state of shock.

Regardless of what happened and whatever awaited her... she made a solemn vow to not remove her hand from her face until she was certain that she wasn't being watched.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> forgot to throw in a bit about the healing abilities of the rasetsu in chapter 1... so i edited that in. my bad.


	3. Observations

Tokyo.  
Now. Undisclosed location.

Saito sat quietly as he flipped through the folder of information that Yamazaki had managed to compile on Yukimura Chizuru. The others who had been called in for the investigation were mostly doing the same or were talking as they waited for HIjikata-san, though Souji was already standing over by the one-way window, where they could see her in the room next door seated at a table with an expression full of anxiety. Despite her overall unkempt appearance and how there was a bandage on her face from where she was injured by the rasetsu, her eyes could only described as very wary. In all honesty, it wasn't unreasonable for her to have adopted such an attitude due to the circumstances she had been thrust into, which might have been why she had refused to be parted from her kodachi as it was apparently a family heirloom, though she hadn't had any other issues about how they were holding onto her other belongings for the time being. Still, anyone could see how nervous she was from how she gripped her koachi's sheath in front of her body as its hilt rested on her shoulder...

Although Yamazaki's research had only been compiled hastily given the current circumstances, he did not doubt the man's ability to gather information, and knew that a more extensive report would be prepared later. At the moment, there wasn't much to note about Yukimura herself aside from who her father was- she seemed to be a normal student who engaged in normal school activities and studied hard, and lived and spent modestly, but it was the way her father interacted with her that caught his attention. Kodo-san wasn't the type of person who would use technology unless he could help it so he wrote letters to his daughter to communicate, and his frequent travels had left Yukimura accustomed to living alone. It was also curious to see how her father had always transferred more than enough money for her living expenses whenever he went away, never taking into account what she already had from when he had done so before. His actions could viewed as a father caring for his daughter's needs, but they could also be perceived as preparing her for when he needed to disappear...

"Hajime-kun?" Souji calls out to him the second he closes the folder. Of all their comrades, Souji was the one Saito usually worked and practised with, so it was quite normal for his friend to be so exact in knowing when he was finished in carrying out certain tasks or duties without even looking. "Learn anything interesting about Chizuru-chan?"

"Not at the moment. Most of Yamazaki's notes provide greater insight on Kodo-san though." Moving to stand next to Souji by the window, his words are a bit quieter than normal since they weren't at their headquarters where he didn't need to worry about anyone else listening in. Such behaviour was natural for him regardless of the environment given his responsibilities.

"She's certainly a strange kid isn't she?" Souji smiled wryly as he sent a knowing glance at him, and Saito didn't doubt he was thinking about Yukimura's actions from last night. Even now, he could perfectly recall her words since they were still echoing in his mind. _Are you going to kill me for seeing something that I shouldn't have?_  She had spoken those words with such conviction and resignation that surprised even him, but it was astounding to realize how Yukimura had already grasped the severity of her situation with what else was happening around her after facing down a resetsu. "Doesn't look like she slept last night. Probably worried about someone killing her the moment she did."

"We're not in the business of killing innocent civilians for no reason, Souji." Hijikata-san's voice is firm when they see him walk in with furrowed brows and an air of frustration about him. Of all of them, the vice-commander and the chief were the ones who despised relying on the reason of 'national security' the most to justify an execution, though in this case with Yukimura Chizuru, it was likely that they couldn't do anything without justification given the person's relation to Kodo-san now that they knew her identity. "Honestly, the higher-ups and other members of the brass seem to be split with what to do with her because of who her father is. Some of them think that it's better off that they report her as a victim to fire and set her up with a fake identity, while others want to report her as missing to try and draw Kodo-san out from wherever he is..."

"And what did Kondou-san say?" Regardless of what was suggested by others, Souji would only follow what Kondou-san ordered as the directive to follow, not that anyone of them were interested in listening to opinions outside of the Shinsengumi in the first place. To begin with, their unit didn't exist on paper given the sensitivity of their operations, and while very few were able to give them orders or had direct access to Kondou-san or Hijikata-san, there never seemed to be an end of those who wanted to impose their conclusions on to them.

"The chief says that what we do with her is ultimately going to be left to us since we're going to be the ones responsible for her, but he wants her at headquarters as soon as possible so we can keep an eye on her. 'For observational purposes,' he says." Saito could feel his lips twitch slightly downward at the what has been decided for them by Kondou-san, and his eyes narrowed slightly. The reasoning for such a decision on the surface was to look out for Yukimura's safety, but beneath that... it was to plain to see that they would be watching her as a potential threat given who her father was. By placing her near them, she could potentially be used as a hostage to be used against Kodo-san if necessary as no one knew his motivations for why he vanished with his research incomplete, but it also meant that they might need to dispose of her immediately if the situation called for such an action.

"Eehhh....Does that mean that some of us need to head back to Kyoto with her? What a pain." Souji frowns and sighs dramatically - his tone clearly indicating his dissatisfaction. Although Saito did not doubt Souji would escort Yukimura if ordered by Kondou-san, it was equally true that they knew the only reason why he had volunteered to go to Tokyo in the first place was because of how he was trying to help Kondou-san with the Ochimizu case. Normally, the man would be working tirelessly in Kyoto due to how the Ochimizu had somehow made its way onto the streets, causing them no end of problems with resetsu. Similarly to how Saito treated orders from the vice-commander, Souji did not take the idea of not fulfilling the duties he accepted for Kondou-san's sake very well. "I thought we were here to finally track down Tsuru-chan... Kondou-san isn't going to be happy if we stopped that investigation you know?"

"Vice-commander, I believe that I am sufficient alone in handling that escort duty, though if Souji is able to attend to Yukimura for the rest of the day if she is required to remain under observation today by one of us, it would be greatly appreciated. It would leave me sufficient time to complete the required reports concerning yesterday's incident, and I will surely be able to finish updating our recent observations on the Snow Crane along with my deductions that you requested before heading back to headquarters." As rude as it is to interrupt his elders, Saito speaks quickly since he can see the faint signs of frustration in Hijikata-san's eyes as he opens his mouth, preparing to argue with the captain of their first division. Volunteering himself is the easiest to prevent the two from fighting, and he unfortunately knew that Souji would go out of his way to irritate the vice-commander at times, regardless of the situation. "If that is acceptable."

"You'll hear no arguments from me Hajime-kun." While Souji throws up his arms in mock surrender, Saito hopes his intention is also understood by the vice-commander who nods slightly, though his expression does not improve. "Though I'm going to guess that both of you don't think that Tsuru-chan is involved with what happened to Yukimura-kun right?"

"...Yes. I believe that is the case." While it was true that the thief they were looking for did engage in criminal activity, their research had indicated that the most action the she ever took against a person was knocking them out with a harmless sedative. She even took steps to ensure that those she had knocked out were moved into areas where they would be seen and positioned as if to avoid any potential complications, completely disregarding how that could possibly lead to further problems on her part. To set someone's home on fire would be too brazen for her.

Hijikata-san sighed aloud as his gaze turned to Yukimura. "The fact that she isn't involved with this probably means that she isn't focusing on Kodo-san's movements, but rather looking into something else... possibly the research itself." If they were to believe that the Crane did not know what the Ochimizu was, it meant that it was more likely she did not know what the resetsu were either. "Either way... this incident will set us back months, and that's not even counting how long the investigation into the fire will take. At the moment there are no witnesses that can give us insight on how the fire started... much less how _one of those things_  ended up on the outskirts of Tokyo in one of our uniforms."

There's a slight look of surprise in Souji's eyes that's mirrored in his own eyes hearing the vice-commander bring up the subject that had been weighing heavily on both their minds. Under normal circumstances, they would have already spoken of this subject in a formal debriefing by now, but Hijikata-san had declared the appearance of the resetsu, an emergency situation due to how there had never been reports of them being sighted in Tokyo. It was due to such a proclamation that both Saito and Souji had remained guarding Yukimura as a necessary precaution after they had all escorted Kodo-san's daughter to where they were now instead of splitting up with one of them joining Hijikata-san; and it was also why they had only heard from the vice-commander an hour ago that he would be leaving the Yukimura home that he had immediately left for last night to conduct and secure the area alongside Yamazaki and Shimada since communication was all but restricted to the commanders in order reduce the likelihood of information on the Ochimizu and resetsu from somehow leaking out.

"It's because of this that the chief wants Yukimura in Kyoto at headquarters by tomorrow and for he's already given the order to restrict all information about her identity as Kodo-san's daughter to just the executives at the moment unless otherwise stated. For now, our priority will be getting a few questions that Sanan-san wants confirmed with her and explaining to Yukimura what her situation will be for now. Details can be figured out later."

"Understood." He and Souji reply to Hijikata-san at the same time, and Saito can can hear him quietly grinding his teeth. Not in frustration but anger. Their assumption that someone knew about the Shinsengumi had already become a foregone conclusion, and not knowing who was working against them was more than unpleasant.

At their response, the vice-commander nods seriously. "Let's get this over with."

* * *

 

Yukimura's expression is guarded when he and Souji walk into the room with Hijikata-san. Neither of them sit and stand naturally to the side of the vice-commander, with him at the left while Souji stands at the his right as Hijikata-san sits across from Yukimura, who still seemed to unsure if they would be killing her.

"I'm Hijikata Toshizo. Vice-commander of the Shinsengumi.... and these are Saito Hajime and Okita Souji. We're an organization independent from normal law enforcement tasked with safeguarding certain domestic interests of the country by the government..." Hijikata-san's words are deliberately ambiguous as to what they actually did, but at the same time conveyed that they had both power and authority as he showed her a badge that she would not recognize along with identification that showed that he was a federal agent. "Yukimura-san... Firstly, I apologize for the way we've been treated you but the the sooner, but I have some questions I must you about the incident last night."

"Oh, no. It's fine. I'm very grateful for how you all saved me last night, Hijikata-san, Saito-san, Okita-san." Saying so, she bowed her head in their direction as much as she could whle remaining seated, then straightened her posture. Although she was putting on what Saito assumed was a strong front, she couldn't hide the signs of her exhaustion when she spoke. "What did you want to ask me about?"

"Can you tell me when you last saw your father?" There's a startled look in Yukimura's eyes as her brow furrows. It's as if she was asked were the last questions she ever would have expected. Most likely she expected questions about the resetsu that attacked her, or the fire that consumed her home.

"Why... are you asking me about him?" Her voice isn't accusing in any way, but expressed what Saito interpreted as genuine confusion, and he thinks that she probably expected questions about the fire or the resetsu given the vice-commander's words and the implications of what she had witnessed then.

"...We are currently investigating the circumstances of why your home burned down and your father's whereabouts. Although we don't have evidence, there's a chance that the two may be connected in some way.... and it's our job to investigate all possibilities for motives." Souji lets out the smallest of noises upon hearing Hijikata-san's words, and Saito can tell he was doing it as if to question or refute the vice-commander given how much the truth was being stretched for the sake of obtaining information from their only lead on Kodo-san.  
  
Yukimura visibly swallows, seemingly debating the validity of the vice-commander's words, though he could see eyes narrow and her grip on her kodachi tighten for the briefest of moments as she watched Souji. Most of her body language still indicated caution....Whether or not she had accepted such an explanation remained to be seen though she still nods. "I haven't seen him since last in March. He said he had business to attend to in Kyoto... and while he sent me letters in the mail constantly when away since he dislikes technology... they suddenly stopped during this summer break."

Although the information about Yukimura's communication with her father matched what their reports told them, it was only until this May did they suspect that Kodo-san had vanished... "You didn't find it strange that your father just suddenly stopped writing to you?"

"Not... not at first. There have been plenty of times when I've received letters late, and other times when he was working in places where there isn't really the option of sending anything....he's always informed me beforehand if that's the case." Yukimura's voice is considerably quieter now and her eyes look distant, as if her gaze did not see them at all. "But never have I not heard from him for this long. I thought something might have happened so I called Dr. Matsumoto... he's a friend father told me to contact in case of emergency, but he hasn't heard from father either..."

Hearing Dr. Matsumoto's name is a bit of a surprise since he also worked for the government, was one of Kodo-san's colleagues and was already known to the Shinsengumi. Unlike the latter who preferred focusing on research, the doctor preferred to directly engage in helping others with his knowledge and skills. It was also rumoured that he already knew of the Ochimizu, though the accuracy of such a rumour would only be known to the commanders. "Hrm... Did it ever bother you that he left you alone for so long? I mean, most people would probably be worried if they didn't hear from someone they knew for and cared for over a prolonged period of time."

"Not really? I mean, I've gotten used to him being away for long months at a time... But what else can I do? I could be fretting about what's happened but that would benefit no one... least of all myself. More importantly, to what end would that achieve? I don't have family in Tokyo and it's not exactly safe for it to be known that a young woman is living alone. Besides, I have more than enough money to support myself for a while... and for the future, though I'll probably get a job so I can afford studying to be a doctor." She had a bitter smile on her face, and her eyes were slightly moistened now. "That is... when I figure out what I do given the state of my home."

Seeing her current expression, so opposite to how it was earlier, and how Hijikata-san's brows furrow, Saito knew the vice-commander was debating whether or not to continue down his current of questioning since it might be counterproductive if Yukimura became even more unsettled. If she, their only lead on Kodo-san was pushed too hard, they risked her completely shutting them out, and they did not have any means to truly force her into providing what information they needed on her father. It was unfortunate, but the only member of the Shinsengumi who was particularly good at dealing emotionally agitated persons was Sano, and he was busy following up on his own investigation as ordered by the chief back at their headquarters. Still, he did think that it might be a bit too much to expect the average person to be emotionally stable just a day after their home burned down while being attacked, and after assuming that they would be killed to silence a secret.

"I see. For now, I only have one more question, as the rest can wait until later when you've gotten enough rest." Hearing this, Yukimura's face expressed slight surprise, though he was certain that she understood how the vice-commander implied that this was to be continued later seeing her brow twitch. "This might be unpleasant to hear, but do you think that it was possible that your father left you by yourself because he might have had enemies because of his work?"

"No! What are you implying...?" Her words stop, and her expression was enough to let him know that she was genuinely considering the vice-commander's question for the first time. Everything about her reaction was simply too honest for Saito to suspect that she had ever considered anyone holding some sort of grudge towards her father. "I... I don't know if he had any enemies who would have done such a thing... but even then, I wouldn't know if father did... and he wouldn't have told me. He kept his work life private... the most ever heard was if his research was progressing well or not... or if a project was finally done since that meant he'd be home more often until the next one."

Given Kodo-san's private nature, most of the Shinsengumi would be hard pressed to believe that he would have implicated his daughter with his actions knowingly, though there was some debate as to whether or not he might have let something in her possession that might provide them some insight. Unfortunately, there was nothing among Yukimura's belongings that likely belonged from Kodo-san aside from that locked briefcase, but they had strict orders to not attempt breaking the lock given the severity of some of the other surprises Kodo-san had left behind. Aside from that, all Yukimura had left was her singed jacked, phone, keys, kodachi, the clothes she was still wearing from last night, and a well-stocked first aid kit that she had kept in her now partially damaged bag.

"I cannot say this with absolute uncertainty... but we do believe that your father caught the attention of less savoury characters due to the research he was working on some research project for the government. What happened to you last night... perhaps it due to the actions of someone looking for your father and either wanted to have him eliminated or kidnapped.... or perhaps someone wanted to target you in order to use you as leverage against your father." With every word of Hijikata-san's analysis, the colour in Yukimura's face drained until it looked like she was going to faint.

"Someone might have been aiming for me...." Her words are barely above a murmur, but her tone, for some reason... Saito did not think that she sounded surprised to hear such a thing... rather she spoke almost as if she had already expected such an outcome. "That unfortunately makes sense..."

"Everything is just speculation at the moment in regards to what might have happened to your father. Few knew what he was working on to begin with, so if anyone was aiming for him because of his research or anything else, they would have to have significant means and resources.... It's because of this that my superiors have decided to have you moved for your own safety to our headquarters in Kyoto, and why it's imperative you remain silent."

"....I understand. I suppose it's good that I don't have much to take with me..." She spoke in a shaky voice before laughing weakly. It was likely she once again understood that she had no real choice given the language used, and what she needed to keep quiet about though Saito noted how Yukimura looked almost resigned to accept that whatever was to be decided for her by the Shinsengumi.

"We'll see to it that your belongings are brought to you there, as well as anything else that we may find when investigating what happened to your home later, Yukimura-san. In the meantime, you should get some rest. Souji will help make arrangements for anything you might need immediately while anything else can be picked up when you get to headquarters... also you can keep your kodachi with you if that'll make you feel better." There's a clear dismissing tone in Hijikata-san's voice as he sends a glance at Souji, who nods. "He'll answer what questions he can for you, but don't expect much."

"C'mon Chizuru-chan. Let's get you into some clean clothes and freshen you up before even considering any of that. You're still exhausted from last night, and kids like you should really be resting after talking with someone as scary as vice-commander." He purses his lips, and there's a sly look in Souji's expression that the vice-commander purposely ignores as he opens the door into the hallway. "Anyway, thanks again Hajime-kun."

"Ah, okay... Thank you again for everything..." Yukimura looks a bit dazed when she responds almost absent-mindedly when she stands up to follow Souji. Despite everything that occurred, Saito felt that she was genuinely trying hard to wrap her head around the information HIjikata-san had presented. Her gait spoke of a quiet determination rather than confusion on her part, and her eyes were hard, giving the impression that she was consumed in her thoughts as opposed to being overwhelmed by despair. Reactions that did not exactly seem entirely normal...

* * *

"So Saito, what did you think?" After watching Yukimura leave, bowing as she left the room, he waited for the vice-commander to speak, knowing fully his analysis of the conversation would be asked for as he trust in his ability to judge people. Saito was certain that the way that Yukimura spoke... was unusual for one in her situation. Her words suggested that she didn't truly think what had happened to her was without reason to a certain degree, and if she knew something about her father's research that made it more conceivable for her to expect more dangerous circumstances, but if she did not...

"Vice-commander.." He considers what he says very carefully since he knew he wasn't the best when it came to words and needed convey what needed to be said properly, especially given the level of importance attached to this matter. "I do not believe that Yukimura was lying about her father given her concern. She has no reason to and genuinely appears to be worried about him....and even frightened for his safety." He pauses, checking with the vice-commander, and his expression urges for him to continue. "Given Yukimura's demeanour, I believe that she might have her own reason to suspect why this happened though it is currently impossible to tell if it is due to her father's research or something else... though I think it is unlikely that she knew about the resetsu given her reaction last night." Unfortunately he hadn't been able to make many observations of Yukimura at that time given the circumstances, and while he was impressed with her words, he did they think were a bit odd considering how he feel her desire to live when she faced down the resetsu. However it was possible that at that point, she might have truly understood the gravity of her situation then.

"Indeed. I'll have to talk about this with Kondou-san and the other captains when I get back." Hijikata-san nodded seriously his brows furrowed more than usual as he crossed his arms. "Several members of the Watch will be arriving tomorrow to provide additional security in case anything happens."

"...Understood." It takes Saito a moment longer to respond to the statement since the Watch rarely acted as escorts- he would know since he often carried out similar duties, but these orders now clearly indicated how unprecedented the situation with Yukimura Kodo's daughter was going to be.

"Keep an eye on her... and keep her safe. We need find out everything she knows about her father and his work.... and whatever else she's hiding if it concerns the Shinsengumi's interests." While the vice-commander understood the necessity of secrets and a person's desire to keep them, he wasn't the type of person to pry unless such information would have a detrimental effect on their interests, but they clearly did not have a choice in Yukimura's case. "I'm counting on you Saito."

"Yes, vice-commander."

**Author's Note:**

> I'm probably going to stick with the Japanese honorifics when I can and the way names are used.... also I'll get to fixing tags later since I can't think of any at the moment. also might come up with an alternate summary.


End file.
